Jumeok-bap

In this article, we are going to explore the topic of Jumeok-bap in depth, analyzing its many facets and its relevance today. From its origin to its impact on society, through its different perspectives and approaches, this article will comprehensively address everything related to Jumeok-bap. Through a detailed and rigorous analysis, we will delve into this fascinating topic to understand its scope and importance in different areas, from science to culture, thus offering a comprehensive and enriching vision. Without a doubt, Jumeok-bap is a topic of great relevance that deserves to be explored in depth, and that is precisely what we propose to do in the following lines.

Jumeok-bap
TypeRice balls
Place of originSouth Korea
Main ingredientsBap (cooked rice)
Similar dishesArancini, cifantuan, onigiri, zongzi
Korean name
Hangul
주먹밥
Revised Romanizationjumeok-bap
McCune–Reischauerchumŏk-pap
IPA[tɕu.mʌk̚.p͈ap̚]

Jumeok-bap (주먹밥; lit. "fist rice"), sometimes jumeokbap, is a Korean rice dish made from a lump of cooked rice made into a round loaf the shape of a fist.[1][2] Rice balls are a common item in dosirak (a packed meal) and often eaten as a light meal, between-meal snack, street food, or an accompaniment to spicy food.[3][4][5][6] The commercialization of Jumeok-bap began in earnest in 1990, when Japanese cuisine gradually spread to Korea and onigiri were popularized. Although it did not receive special attention in the early years, it gained popularity as an inexpensive, easy-to-prepare food during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In the 2010s, a variety of forms of Jumeok-bap were released, including a round-shaped onigiri and a rice burger in the shape of a hamburger.

Summary

The detailed history of when and where rice balls began is unknown, as it is an easy and simple food that only needs to be lumped together by hand. It is likely that it is a natural-looking dish like convergent evolution since humans began eating rice. In Japan, for example, it is speculated that similar food came out around the same time in Korea, given that traces related to the food that clumped rice were excavated from the remains of the Yayoi period (B.C 1,000 ~ A.D 300).[citation needed]

There is a record that woodworkers made rice balls with beans and sesame in their lunch boxes in literary works of the Joseon Dynasty, and boiled beans to make a half (裹飯, stacked rice) in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.[7] In addition, in Buddhist scriptures, fasting (摶食) is the food eaten by monks, which means rice balls, which are eaten by hand, in addition to the meaning of food in terms of materials and shapes that humans eat.[citation needed]

Rice balls are easy to prepare and carry, thus making for excellent food for long-distance travel, or on military campaigns when cooking is a challenge.[8] During the Korean War, soldiers receive rice balls as rations, but civilians also relied on rice balls as emergency food.[9] Therefore, every year on days leading up until June 25, events were held nationwide inviting everyone to participate in making rice balls to remember the hardships of the past.[10] During the Gwangju Uprising, when the protesters-turned-militia ran out of food, citizens volunteered to make and supply rice balls for them; rice balls are now a symbol of Gwangju, and similar events were held every year on days leading up to May 18.[11][12][13]

In North Korea, rice balls are called jjokgi-bap (줴기밥), and it is used in both Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un propaganda, where they were depicted eating a meagre meal while serving the people. For the latter however, it became a subject of satire among the local population.[14][15]

References

  1. ^ "jumeok-bap" 주먹밥. Standard Korean Language Dictionary (in Korean). National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved 26 March 2017.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "jumeok-bap" 주먹밥. Korean–English Learners' Dictionary. National Institute of Korean Language. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  3. ^ Son, Min-ho; Lee, Seok-hee (16 July 2016). "Cheaper flights expand possibilities for day trips". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  4. ^ Lee, Claire (3 November 2011). "Film festivals celebrate human rights". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  5. ^ Roza, David (13 September 2016). "Mama Chung dishes up authentic Korean cuisine". The Ellsworth American. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  6. ^ Montgomery, Charles (26 October 2016). "Why pojangmacha street food is what you need". 10 Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Seonjo Sillok, Volume 44, Seonjo Year 26, November 27". sillok.history.go.kr. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  8. ^ "주먹밥". Doosan Encyclopedia (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  9. ^ Heo, Eun-sim. "전쟁의 대표 음식에서 일상의 별미가 된 주먹밥". ncms.nculture.org (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  10. ^ Hwang, Ji-hyeon (2024-06-24). "[데일리대구경북뉴스] 6․25 전쟁의 아픔 되새기고 국가 안보 의식 널리 알리다". www.dailydgnews.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  11. ^ Park, Jun-ho (2024-05-15). "[현장속으로]광주 학생들 주먹밥 만들며 "5·18 잊지 않을 것"". 남도일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  12. ^ Kim, Da-jeong (2023-06-27). "[청년칼럼] 잃을 게 없었던 사람들의 역사". www.mdilbo.com. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  13. ^ Ngo, Hope (2022-11-22). "What Jumeokbap Symbolizes For Korea". Tasting Table. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  14. ^ Park, Soo-yoon (2023-02-16). "북한, '김정일 생일' 경축 분위기…저녁 경축야회 예고". 연합뉴스 (in Korean).
  15. ^ Kim, Ji-eun (2015-09-15). "북 선전에 '쪽잠과 줴기밥' 재등장". Radio Free Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2016-09-08. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
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